One of the associated aims of Project Pod at the Ellesmere Port Hospital is to raise awareness of dementia issues.
This was also the aim of a Dementia Friends information session which took place at the Countess of Chester Hospital recently.
Among those attending was Rod Simms, a charity champion of the customer service staff from four Tesco stores (Chester Home Plus, Foregate Street, Sealand Road and Bromborough).
He said: “A greater understanding of the effects of dementia in everyday life will enable the service provided to customers to be more effective.
“We are delighted to be some of the first retailers to join the drive to get one million Dementia Friends creating more dementia friendly communities.
“The training is brilliant, it set people’s minds into action and all of the Tesco staff wanted to talk about their experiences and ideas that will make this work, not only in the shops but also in their lives outside.
“Everybody had some positive thoughts and it was difficult to get away at the end of the session. My wife, a Marks and Spencer manager, will talk to her company regarding your training program and is keen to get them on board.”
Also attending was Andy Tysoe, dementia nurse specialist and Dementia Friends champion.
She said: “This dementia information session was attended by an incredible 92 people including 15 members of staff from Tesco and it was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and engagement during the session.
“The ‘quiet crisis’ of dementia can no longer be viewed solely as an issue for health and social care. It impacts and affects us all and the communities in which we live.
“The Tesco staff have promised to explore my ambition of creating a dementia-friendly checkout till to help raise the profile of this devastating illness and hopefully improve the experience of people with dementia within their communities.”
Anyone is welcome to attend a Dementia Friends information session.
For details, visit
Give patients better quality of life
The Pioneer has teamed up with Ellesmere Port Hospital to launch Project Pod – an appeal which will improve life for the patients who are treated there.
Ellesmere Port Hospital provides care and rehabilitation for mostly older patients, many of whom have been in hospital for some time receiving medical care.
There are eight wards caring for patients in small groups. Each ward has a small underused ‘lounge’ area that opens out on to the patio garden area.
These areas are not attractive and so it is easier for patients to stay in or near their beds and there is no incentive for family and friends to encourage loved ones to move to the area.
The Pioneer and the hospital want to develop these into attractive areas that contribute to patient stimulation, wellbeing and happiness and we are calling the improved areas ‘memory and relaxation pods’.
The pods will also have many items in them to promote remembering and conversation with visitors.
These include period items from the 1950s and 1960s such as TVs, radios and china. There will be music and newspapers from the day – all to create an ambience and foster a feeling of familiarity.
Each pod costs £2,000 and Project Pod is hoping to raise £16,000 to create eight of them at the hospital.
Staff are so keen to introduce the project that they have set about fundraising themselves and have had support from the local community buying raffle tickets and businesses offering raffle prizes.
Fundraising activities that have taken place and that are planned will raise £2,000 – enough for the first pod and the staff continue to fundraise.
The hospital is hoping to have four pods in place by Christmas 2013 and the remaining four by Easter 2014.
If you would like to find out more about the appeal or arrange a fundraising event, call Lesley Woodhead on 01344 364505 or email lesleywoodhead@nhs.net.
